I think masklinn is arguing that, if Republican senators truly believed the president should be an elected king with nigh-limitless power, then during Democrat administrations they would have been eager to approve anything the president put forward, as he was the president-king at that time.
Whereas what we saw instead was them blocking everything they could, government shutdowns etc.
Unless "Unitary Executive" means something a good deal more nuanced than the president being king, that is.
I don't think that follows at all. Republicans, just like every party really, do the best given the system they are in. They don't act as if they are in the hypothetical system they would like to have, it would be totally counterproductive to their goals.
Think of it this way. I may be against paying taxes. That doesn't mean I just stop paying them. The best I can do is try to get the government to lower the taxes.
Whereas what we saw instead was them blocking everything they could, government shutdowns etc.
Unless "Unitary Executive" means something a good deal more nuanced than the president being king, that is.